Memories of a Bittersweet Saga
by IheartRupert
Summary: With Ron off in Romania, Hermione has to cope with her loneliness and the secret that could tear her marriage apart. But this secret is the least of her problems when an accident caused by a traumatizing scene has the potential to take her life… and her m
1. The Truth Has Been Revealed

**Chapter 1: The Truth Has Been Revealed**

It was a peaceful summer's day; Hermione Jane Granger Weasley was sitting by the fireplace in her house, writing a letter to her best friend and sister-in-law, Ginny Weasley. It was pretty early in the afternoon, so she hoped that Ginny would still be at the Burrow. Hermione felt so alone and could really use a friend at a time like this. She pulled her favorite quill out of her hair and began scribbling a note on a piece of parchment that she found on the table in front of her.

_Dear Ginny,_

_How are things with you and Harry? You are probably wondering why I am owling you. And it is because I was wondering if we can meet somewhere? I am so lonely here, all by myself, and the fact that I have so much on my mind is not helping. Of course, if you are busy or something, I completely understand, but I really need to talk to someone. So if you are busy, can we meet first thing tomorrow? Please respond as soon as you receive this letter._

_Thanks,_

_Hermione_

Hermione proofread the letter, sealed it with her wand and called Pig over to her, telling him to deliver the letter to Ginny, at the Burrow, as quickly as he could. Pig pecked on Hermione's hand, proudly, and flew out of the open window. Watching him leave reminded her of the first time she saw him, only two years ago. It had been the summer before her fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Back then life was good, and she had her friends near her all time... most importantly, Ron.

That boy (or should she say, "man"), Ron Weasley, the one who meant more to her than any other and the one who left for Romania despite Hermione's pleads. It pained her so think of him. It pained her to think of how alone she had felt ever since he went to visit Charlie. It pained her to think of being alone on their wedding anniversary. And it especially pained her to think of telling Ron their big news, the news that would determine their future together, as man and wife. Everything pained her, except her memories of them together. Her life up until that moment had been full of glee, and Ron had been a part of the majority of it; well, he had been a part of the aspects that she cared about anyhow. But, now, he was far, far away, in Romania. Trying to forget about the sadness and depression in her life, she tried to think of one happy memory of her and her husband, whom she loved with all of her heart.

_

* * *

It was the beginning of term, and Fred and George decided to throw a Gryffindor party. Naturally, Harry had detention, so Hermione and Ron decided to go to the party by themselves. After some talking and eating, Ron and Hermione were forced to dance together, not that either of them minded, but they had to pretend they did since they did not know how the other one felt. Once the song ended, they broke apart, reluctantly, and decided that they would go and knit some elf clothes for S.P.E.W. Hermione was not that great of a knitter, and Ron agreed that he would help her, being on the "executive board" and all. So they sat down on Ron's bed and began knitting._

_Not before too long, Hermione shrieked, for she had stuck herself. Ron dropped everything and turned to her, grabbing her injured hand and kissing it. Turning bright red, he dropped her hand, apologizing. But Hermione had not minded, although she was taken aback. Ron then did a spell on her hand to heal her cut. She thanked him and looked up into his deep, blue eyes, the eyes she always got lost in. At that point, she did not only get lost in his eyes; she also got lost in the moment. They both inched closer to each other, until their lips met. It was each of their first kisses, and it was with the one they had always wanted. Before long, Harry walked into the dormitory from detention and coughed, signaling his entrance._

_Ron and Hermione broke apart and blushed, trying to find the words to explain why they were kissing each other. But all Harry could do was laugh, saying that everyone knew that they fancied each other, that it was just them two who were the thick ones. After changing out of his robes, he winked at Ron, before leaving for the Common Room. Because of who Harry was, they knew that the rest of the party would know about their little tête à tête and decided to stay in the dormitory to avoid questions from their friends and fellow House members. It had been a very relieving night. They both knew that the truth they had tried to hide for so long had been revealed._

* * *

Hermione felt something pecking on her hand and snapped back to reality. The smile she wore faded when she realized where she was and that her husband was nowhere to be found. Trying to be optimistic about the situation, Hermione sighed, noticing a scroll tied to Pigwidgeon's leg. "Thanks, Pig," she said, patting him on the head. After removing the scroll, she watched him fly off before unrolling the scroll of parchment and reading the sloppy, tea-stained note from Ginny. 

_Hermione—_

_Is everything alright, other than Ron being out of town? I can meet you right now, if you would like since there is nothing major happening around here. Harry and I are at the Burrow, playing chess, but we have not gotten that far due to Gred and Forge Apparating on top of the board every so often. Anyway, go to the Three Broomsticks. I will meet you there within the next half an hour, and you probably do not want Harry to come, so, don't worry, he will stay here._

_Your Sister (I just love saying that!),_

_Ginny_

_Your Sister._ Those words pained her dearly, for she did not know how much longer they would be sisters. At the thought of losing her husband, the man she had loved ever since she first laid eyes on him, six years ago, Hermione's own eyes welled up with tears, and she let everything out in a puddle of sorrow.


	2. In and Out of Love

**Chapter 2: In and Out of Love**

After reading the letter, Hermione gripped the table in front of her so that she could get up. With each and every progressive day, it had gotten harder and harder to stand up without some sort of help. When she finally stood up, she looked at her reflection in the enchanted mirror floating near the door before grabbing her bag and accidentally knocking a picture off of the bookcase. The glass shattered, as it fell to the floor, so Hermione held onto the bookcase and bent down to pick up the picture, turned it over and smiled. The picture was of her and Ron from two years ago.

* * *

_They were doing homework on Ron's bed, in the boys' dormitories of Gryffindor Tower, and Ron could not concentrate. All he could think about was Hermione and how good it felt to hold her and how he wished to hold her one more time. Realizing how distracted Ron was, Hermione asked him if everything was alright. "Yes, love... I mean, Mione, I am fine," smiled Ron, trying to hide his blushing face by looking away. Hermione could do nothing but smile; he had uttered a word she had longed for him to call her—love. Unfortunately, it did not look like he would be saying it again, so she went back to work._

_Almost right after she had gotten back to work, she was turned around, to face Ron; he kept his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. She had always loved his eyes and hair above all else; they were magical, as was he. Staring at each other and basking in the other's perfection, Ron asked her a beautiful question, "Hermione, I...err...I...I fancy you...would you be my girl?" After he asked this question, all that Hermione could do was wrap her arms around him and nod, grinning madly._

_Then Ron asked, "Would you mind if I kissed you?" Without waiting for a response, he grabbed one of her hands, cupped her chin and kissed her. They sat there, on his bed, just kissing and celebrating the fact that they were together.

* * *

_

Hermione closed her eyes, trying to savor the memory; she could remember the day, as if it had just happened. But then she remembered that Ron was in Romania, and she was in England, alone in their home. So she took her bag off of her shoulder, looked at the picture one last time, placed it in her bag and Disapparated.

When she got to Hogsmeade, she walked around, looking at all of the happy couples, holding hands and wishing she was there with her loved one. Before long, she reached the Three Broomsticks and sat down at a table, holding her head in her hands, until she felt someone tap her back. She rubbed her eyes and looked up into Ginny's smiling face and warm disposition. Ginny held out her hand, to help Hermione up, giving her a great big hug.

"So what did my brother do this time, Hermione?" said a smiling Ginny, sitting down across from Hermione, ordering a butterbeer for herself and a glass of pumpkin juice for Hermione. "Since when do you drink pumpkin juice, Hermione? I thought that you hate the stuff."

"I do not know; I have never really liked pumpkin juice, but lately, I have been craving it. Anyway, I asked you to come here today because things have been pretty hostile between Ronald and I, as of not long ago. I mean, he left for Romania, knowing that he would miss our anniversary, and I think that he is keeping something from me, I just do not know what." Hermione took the glass of pumpkin juice from the masked witch and sipped it.

"You know better than anyone how Ron is. He does not like being told to do something. If he is, he tends to do the opposite, which is probably why he went with dad to visit Charlie in Romania. And about hiding something, that boy is too thick to hide anything from anyone," said Ginny, stifling a laugh.

"I suppose, but I still feel like there has been a lot of tension between us, ever since we last, well, you know. It is not like he was not in the mood; sorry if this grosses you out, being his sister and all, but it was brilliant. However, since then, I feel like he has been hiding something from me and that he is not happy with me. We have not really _done_ anything ever since that night, either. And he left, knowing that he would be gone for a month and would miss our wedding anniversary. I just do not understand what I did wrong." Hermione could feel her eyes well up with tears, and when she blinked, a couple of tears ran down her nose.

Ginny took Hermione's hand. "Hermione, do not cry. I promise that everything will be fine. You and Ron have had problems before and have always gotten through them. Trust me, you will get through this; I will not let you go, you are my sister and my best friend. No brother of mine will get away with breaking your heart."

Moving her hand away from Ginny, she wiped her eyes and said, "Thanks, Gin, I do not know. I just don't know anymore. Is there something wrong with me?" And then she uttered the words she had been afraid to say, "Maybe he has fallen out of love with me..."

* * *

"_What did you say?" Hermione asked. She could not believe what she was hearing._

"_I love you, Mione," Ron whispered in her ear again._

_Hermione removed herself from his embrace and could only stand there in shock. "I-I-I don't know what to say..."_

_He moved closer to her, not understanding, "Don't tell me that you do not feel the same way I do, Hermione. When we kiss, I know that there is no one else I want to be with and that there is nowhere else I want to be. But maybe I was wrong," and with that, he walked towards the door, before stopping to say, "You know what, Hermione? We're through. I will always love you, and I always have. But I can't be with someone who does not appreciate me expressing my love and does not share the affection. But look on the Brightside, now, you can go back to Vicky."_

_Then he left, without looking back at Hermione to see her fall to the floor, with pain on her face and tears falling from her eyes._


End file.
